Hi, my name is Snake1990! What else can I do? DWP says I'm fit for work

Snake1990

Hello,

Hope everyone here is having a good day. I have been claiming UC for about 3 years now. But work 16-20 per week. About 2 and a half years ago. I started having mental issues that went really really had real fast. I kept on having flash backs and nightmares about a incident that happened to me in the past. 

I also suffere from anxiety. Where I don't like leaving the house on my own. I have always been one to never tell people about my problems and just try and sort things out my self. Even when I tried to end my life 2 years ago due to my mental issues.

I know this sounds had but lucky enough COVID then happened. My work shut down for a little over a year. But because I was stuck in for over a year (I live with people who where shielding). I felt like my old self. I felt happy spite being locked in. The nightmares and flashbacks where still a thing but not as common. The anxiety seemed to have vanished and I felt great. 

Then in 2021 it was time to go back to work and my first day in work. I fell apart I couldn't cope. I was a nervous wreck. The anxiety was through the roof. I was doing really silly things that almost got me sacked. Lucky enough my supervisor noticed something was not right and gave me a chance to tell him what was going on. 

So I told him everything. The attempt at ending my life. The flash backs the nightmares the anxiety. 

He said he could help me but I also need to help my self. He paired me with my friend of 25 years and my partner (we all worked for same company). But he advised me to see a doctor witch I did. My doctor said I was suffering with depressions and obsessive disorder. He referred me to a theropist. I was on the waiting list until earlier this year when I finally got assigned one. 

After a few sessions my theropist. Said I was suffering some issues that relate to PTSD. They have now referred me to higher stage theropy. Both my theropist and gp said I'm not fit for work. But I don't want to quit the one I have because staying at home is just going to set me back mentally even more it won't help me. 

But I did do a change of circumstances with UC about my mental health and for 6 months I had to submit fit notes from my doctor. I had my work compatibility assessment a few weeks ago and last week got a letter saying they found I I'm compatible for some work. I then had to attended a job center appointment this week with my partner by my side. I asked could he explain how they come to that decision. He said well from what he can tell. They find that because I can breath and walk I in fit for work l. I was gob smacked and cried a little. I just said so the DWP does not care if people suffer with mental health? As long as they can walk there ok to work? He didn't really answer me and said I have another appointment for a commitments review next week. 

I'm not sure what else to do. I have been talking to Samaritans as my anxiety is through the roof. I keep thinking I'll be better if dead. It feels like that's what the DWP is hoping for I just end up killing my self. 

What else can I do at this point? I have another appointment with my GP coming up to discuss about possible medication. 

calcotti

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/benefits-introduction/problems-with-benefits-and-tax-credits/challenging-benefit-decisions/

Snake1990

Thank you 

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @snake1990 I've sent you an email about this from community@scope.org.uk, so please do keep an eye out for that. We'd like to see how we can support you. 

Have you looked into challenging the decision at all? I know it can be really overwhelming at first, but we're all here to help you where we can along the way.